The verdict was in and the jury was divided.
“Oh, the critics hate it, but the audience loves it,” Niecy Nash-Betts said of “All’s Fair,” the campy new Ryan Murphy legal drama about an all-female firm in which she plays a private investigator.
Reviewers condemned it as “girlboss nonsense,” “an atrocity” and “what may well be the worst television drama ever made.” But some 3.2 million views in the show’s first three days made it Hulu’s best scripted series debut in three years.
“You can’t kill our vibe,” Nash-Betts said.
The star-powered cast — Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson and Teyana Taylor — “said yes to a germ of an idea, but because it was Ryan, we trusted it,” she recalled.
And for good reason. Nash-Betts met Murphy on his first TV show, “Popular” — she played a talking lobster — and has cycled through “Scream Queens,” “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” winning an Emmy, and “Grotesquerie,” playing the lead.
“I just love Ryan and I understand him,” she said. “I speak his language. He speaks mine.”
In a video call from Los Angeles, Nash-Betts elaborated on playtime with wigs and the value of good group chats. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
Prayer
It’s a grounding force for me. It sets my intention, it brings me peace and clarity where there may be doubt. I am not religious, but I am spiritual. God, the universe, the Most High — I just believe that there is energy that is far greater than our own that exists in the world, and that is what I lean into.
My Wife, Jessica Betts
Baby, let me tell you something. That sweet thing right there is the thing that gets me through most things. And it’s interesting when you know that you have found your person. They end up making everything better, even in the tough times or the dark times. They bring a light.
My Family
I have given birth to some very funny children, and any time I’m around my family, it’s a vibe. People like to go out for Mother’s Day to these fancy restaurants. I would much rather have my children and my mom here at the house doing talent shows, swimming in the pool, learning how to cook something. I just love the way we support each other.
Group Chats
A good group chat is never going to fail you. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll give you support, it’ll give you the tea, because sometimes you got to spill it. I’m in a group chat with the girls on “All’s Fair.” I will know these women until God throws dirt in my face.
Relaxing to Crime TV
People say that people who do that are weird. I’m people and I’m weird. One, I consider myself a super sleuth, and I think I’m in front of the crime to figure out who did it. Two, I’m a big fan of justice, and I want to see someone who has done someone terribly wrong get what they deserve.
Skinny Dipping
One of my favorite all-time things. When I won that Emmy for “Dahmer,” people said, “How are you going to celebrate?” I’m like, “The same way I celebrate any and everything — skinny dipping and drinking champagne.” What’s better than being naked in the water with the person you love? Nothing.
Planning a Celebration
I’m known for giving fabulous parties. I will plan an event for anything. I had a hoedown for my birthday and, man, it was out of this world. I had a New Orleans Mardi Gras theme anniversary party, also amazing. People have come to know that if I invite you to something, it’s going to be a good time.
Wigs
They bring me so much joy. I literally have a whole room dedicated to them. I love them because they all come with a different personality, a different style. My spouse can have as many girlfriends as the wig room will allow.
A Playlist for Every Occasion
Me and my spouse always go on a boat, so there is a boat playlist that includes songs that we played at our wedding, songs that made us laugh, Chaka Khan, L.T.D. When I do a photo shoot, I only listen to Destiny’s Child. When my mother put on Gladys Knight and the Pips on Saturday morning, it was time to do a deep clean. Fast forward to when I was a mom, when I put the Anita Baker on, get up!
Laughter
I’m not the person you want to sit next to in a crisis or at a funeral, because even at my darkest moment, I’m going to find a way. That’s why I’m grateful that the Most High made me funny, because it is the gift that keeps on giving. I love that that’s a part of my instrument.
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